The development of solar energy collectors for the roof of a building have generally been in the direction of making collector members to be applied to an already existing roof. Moreover, such developments have been in the direction of increasing the energy collecting efficiency of various collectors of this type. Other improvements provide more advanced systems for transferring heat-bearing fluids from collector panels to heat exchangers remote from the roof of a building.
One of the main drawbacks of all such systems of this type is the objectionable appearance of the equipment visible to observers looking at the roof of a building. Such panels clearly detract from the aesthetic appearance of the building and sometimes have a psychological effect in lowering the market value of such a building. Moreover, the piping connecting the solar energy panel to a heat exchanger is also visible and further detracts from the finished appearance. Thus, the trend in solar energy collectors while directed to more efficient systems, tends to cause certain segments of the buying public to lose interest in acquiring such collectors because of their unsatisfactory appearance.
As a result of the foregoing drawbacks, a need has arisen for an improved solar energy collector which provides not only efficient energy collection and concentration but also allows for a pleasing appearance for the roof of a building on which the solar energy is to be collected.